25 Cars Worth Waiting For: 2014–2017

While we disdain its pretentious "four-door coupe" moniker, the Mercedes-Benz CLS speaks to us, and we're not alone. When it debuted in 2005, the CLS sparked a movement, spinning off rivals and copycats and inspiring a full generation of sedans that shortchange rear-seat headroom for the sake of a swoopy roofline. Now, Mercedes is arming for a revolution. Headed our way is a new family of the smallest Benz-badged cars the company has ever sold in the U.S., including a sub-GLK-class micro-ute and maybe even a mini-size convertible. Wisely, however, the three-pointed star's first midget for the land of the F-150 has some of the CLS's charisma.

The CLA looks like a CLS as envisioned by Galoob, maker of Micro Machines, toy cars so small that they'd choke a gerbil. Every member of this new micro Mercedes family shares struts up front and a multilink rear suspension. Here's another surprising fact: The base CLA is front-wheel drive, which is new for Mercedes in the U.S., although in Europe, bitty Benz A-classes have been tugged around by their jib wheels since 1997. Here, Mercedes distracts customers from the cars' wrong-ended locomotion with eye-catching engine outputs. Three different turbocharged four-cylinders are on the roster, all backed by seven-speed dual-clutch autos. Rudy Diesel will be represented eventually by the twin-turbo 2.1-liter also found in the GLK250, where it makes 200 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. Don't expect that output to change much in the CLA. One gasoline-fired 2.0 makes 208 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque; the other 2.0-liter, an AMG with higher boost, makes 355 and 332, respectively.

"Respectfully" is how you'd better treat the CLA45 AMG, a ferocious wielder of adult-sized power. Slated to arrive mere months after the civilian model, the AMG routes the byproduct of its 26-psi war cry to all four wheels. Imagine a Subaru WRX for corporate climbers. (4MATIC four-wheel go is an option on non-AMG models as well.)

Mercedes will charge $48,375 for the privilege of thoroughly baffling every last person you encounter in your hot-rod mini-Benz. BlueTec and plain-old "GasTec" gasoline models should be decidedly cheaper. The starting price is $30,825; figure mid-30s with equipment or 4MATIC. Our first experience with the CLA-class's chassis came in a Euro-market A-class hatch, which proved to be surprisingly capable and fun to drive. Having recently slid behind the wheel of a CLA250, we can report that the sedan we're getting here proves just as capable.